Plunger clip for syringes



July 31, 1923. .Y

A. MARSCHALEK PLUNGER CLIP FOR SYRINGES Filed Nov` 2,' 1927 @fr-3- l'IIIIHIII lllll IIIHHIII'IIHIIHI llllllllli ,ar' gz Afro/Mfrs WITNESS ,gfwww Patented July 31, 1928. t

ALEXANDER MABSCHALEK, or EAs'r RUTHERFoRn NEW JERSEY, nssrerivoi?. 'ro`PAT-ENT y"oFFl-ce.

BECTON,DICKINSO`N @c CO., OF RUTHERFOBD, NE'W JERSEY, A CORYORATION 0FNEW JERSEY.

PLUNGER CLIP FR SYRINGES.

Application led November 2,1927. Serial No.'230,405. i

This invention relates to syringes for medical use and has for an objectto provide a construction wherein the plunger is held automatically inany desired position. I Another object of the invention is to provide ina medical syringe, a clip adapted to hold the plunger of the syringeagainst accidental movement either in the barrel of the syringe orin thesterilizer. A further obfect of the invention, more specifically, isto'provide a clip connected with the barrel of a syringe formed to gripthe plunger of the syringe and to hold the same in any adjusted positionwithin the barrel and also hold the same against loss.

when positioned exteriorly of thebarrel for sterilizing purposes.. f

This application 1s 1n part a continuation of applicants application forUnited States Letters Patent Serial No. 11,812, filed Feb? ruary 26,1925.

In the accompanying drawing- Y Figure 1 is a side view of a syringe andclip, embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the plunger held awayfrom the barrel whereby the parts may be properly sterilized withouteither being lost.

vFigure 3 is a longitudinal vertical seci 3U tional view through theupper part `of the structure shown in Figure.1,'the same being on anenlarged scale.

Figure 4 is `a sectional view throughFigure 2, on line 4 4. j

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 4 but showinga modified and preferred form of clip.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the preferred form of clip shown inFigure, 5.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a modifiedconstruction of clip.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates thebarrel yof a syringe and 2 the plunger. Connected to the upper parti ofbarrel 1 is a metallic litting 3 of any usual or preferred form butpreferably (as indicated in Figures 2 and 7 constructed in a manner toexert a resilient frictional clamping action on said barrel 60sufficient to prevent unintentional movement of said fitting lengthwisethereof and so Vas to have anengagement with said barrel whereby anytendency of the fitting to cant or tilt relatively to the major axisthereof kis resisted, said fitting further being adapted t0 be engagedby the fingers whenthesyringe is being used. Inthe illustrated examplethe above mentioned results vare securedby constructing the fitting 3 intheform of an annular fitting meinbermounted uponthe .barrelvl andprovided with resilient members 3a which project from said fittingmember in the ydirection of the length of the barrel 1 and intoresilient but'firm frictional engagement therewith. It will be notedthat the fitting 3 vis provided with arms 4 and 5. The arm 5 carries avrivet` 6 which acts as a journal pin for the clip 7. The clip 7 acts asautomatic means for holding the'plunger 2 in different adjustedpositionsk and always in association with the barrel.1. This is verydesirable as the bore of barrel 1 is ground to receivethe plunger2 and,therefore, `will not properly receive any other plunger which may be ofsubstantially the same size.

Heretofore, in sterilizing the plunger and barrel, extra care had to beusedvin order to keep the ytwo members together or properly tagged sothat they could be re-assembled. Also, it has been found that theplunger will move back out of the barrel when the barrel is invertedaccidentally, This results in loss by breakageor loss of the fluid to beinjected. By providing the fitting 3 with the resilient members 3a andthe clip 7, means are presented which will hold the barrel and plungerin constant association as shown in f Figure-2. The clip 7'will thusautomaticals ly lock or hold the plunger in any `desired adjustedposition either within the barrel( (Figure 3) or outside of the barrel(Figure 2) andin either case without displacing the fitting 3from itsproper position with respect to the barrel single piece of metal and instamping is pro- The clip 7 is preferably stamped fromal vided withresilient arms 8v and `9 and anf` I upstanding neck 10 whichV mergesinto a flat section ll'through which the rivet 6 extends. The normalposition of the armsB and 9 is such that the space therebetween is lessthany thekdiameter of the plunger 2 .so' that whenever the plunger isforced between j these arms it will beheld by friction lin 'differentpositions. When the clip isholding ythe plunger in the position shown in`,Figure 1 forV instance, the syringe may vbe special features ofadvantage, is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In these figures the arms8 and 9 are formed integrally With a reverse bend 101 and a flat section111 and are provided with a plurality of spaced proectinv elements 8a 8b9a 9. These nrc'ect- CD 3 7 7 l ing elements establish the springContact with the surface of the plunger and the use of such projectingelements causes the 'clip as a Whole to present a materially less areaof Vsurface contact With the plunger Vthan is the case in the structureshown in Figure il. The resultant spacing of the surface of the clipfrom that of t-he plunger, except at a minimum number of contact points,permits a more thorough sterilization of the plunger in the sterilizingapparatus, While a slight .twist of the plunger as it is held by theclip during the sterilization period Will expose to sterilizationtreatment the points of the plunger formerly in contact with parts ofthe clip. Even if the plunger is not slightly rotated as suggested, thesterilization will obviously be more complete than Wherey the Vplungeris held in the manner shown in Figure 4. Althoughthe spacing of the clipfrom the plunger 1n the manner shown in Figure 5 reduces the area ofsurface contact Y between the clip'and the plunger and consequentlytends to lessen the resilient gripping power. of the clip, it hasbeen'found that a structure such asl illustratedin Figures 5 and 6 notonly has adequate gripping power but by virtue of the diminution of thegripping force has additional advantages. Thus when the plunger is inthe Abarrel and is used by the physician a relatively powerful grip ofthe :clip against the plunger interferes with the easy `manipulat-ion ofthe plunger Within the barrel Which lthe physician desires. formed asshown in lFigures 5 and 6 it not only minimizes resistance against easyma-V nipulation of the plunger b utat the same time retains adequategripping power to maintain the plunger at any desired point l Within.the barrel,even though` the instrument may be laid down or turnedupsidev down, and also to maintain the plunger in the/clip tightlynenough for the sterilization operation when the plunger is not `Withinthe barre-l, but is held adjacent thereto.

the correct When the clip is howeverl This softening of the resistanceis accomplished by using the spaced projections 8, 8b, 9, 9, but isstill further enhanced by the special clip struct-ure clearly shown inFigure 6. lt will be noted from that uligure that the arms of thecliphave their points of tlexurenearer the` center of the bar-rel of thesyringe and. farther from their free ends than the spring arms 8 and 9of Figure 4, giving those arms a softer resilient action due to theirincreasetL length. This softer resilience serves to further modifyany'eX- cessive gripping effect of thearms. The modification shown inFigures 5 and '6 is, therefore, one( which, possessing specialadvantages, constitutes the preferred form of the device.

Instead of forming the clip in one piece as shown in Figure l, it mightbe made in some other manner withoutdeparting from the spirit oftheinvention, as forinstance, in

the manner shown in Figure 'Z'. -lnthis ligure, the rivet l2 entendsthrough arm 5, bushing 13 and the extension lll projecting from thejuncture of the arms Sand 9. The function of the arms 8' and 9 in thisform of the invention is identical With the func-- tion of the arms inthe other form of the invention, theonly difference being the fact.

that the arms in this forni of the invention j in the extension 7 arestamped from flat sheet material and are all arranged inthe same plane..This necessitates' the bushing 13 and an `entra long'rivet l2.

What claim is:

1. The combination with a syringe pro" vided with a plunger and barrel,offmeans for holding the plunger against accidental move-ment While 4in'the barrel or holding the plunger out of the barrel but adjacentthereto, said means including a pair of gripping arms, and means forpivotally mounting said arms on said barrel so that it may swing at aright angle 'tothe barrel whereby the arms may be swung to grip theplunger While in the barrel and swung to a different position to gripthe plunger when out of the barrel,V j

2. A. clip Vfor syringes, comprising a pair of resilient arms connectedtogether at one point and provided withan extension. at said point, andmeans for p fatally connecting said extension to the barrel of saidsyringe so? as to swing in plane at right angles to the said barrel,arms being adapted to grip the plunger and hold the same in differentadjusted positions.

'3. A. clip for syringes, comprising a pair of resilient arms formedfrom a single piece of resilient metal whereby said arms will produce .aresilient gripping action, said arms merging together at onepoint, meansprojecting from the point where said arms merge together, said meanspresenting an extension, and a rivet extending through said extensionand part of the syringe for pivotally mounting the arms in position.

4. A clip for syringes, comprising a pair of arms oined together at onepoint, means projecting from the point where said arms are joinedtogether', said means presenting an extension, and a rivet extendingthrough said extension and part of the syringe for pivotally mountingthe arms in position.

5. The combination with a syringe provided with a plunger and barrel, ofmeans for holding the plunger against accidental movement while in thebarrel or holding the plunger out of the barrel but adjacent thereto,said means including a fitting frictionally seated on the barrel, a pairof gripping arms, and means for pivotallyy mounting said arms on saidfitting so that they may swing to a position of rest at a right angle tothe barrel whereby the arms may be swung to grip the plunger while inthe barrel and swung to a different position to grip the plunger whenout of the barrel without displacing the fitting from its properposition on the barrel.

6. The combination with a syringe provided with a plunger and barrel, ofmeansv for holding the plunger against accident-al movement while in thebarrel or holding the plunger out of the barrel but adjacent thereto,said means including a fitting provided with spaced resilient `grippingfingers eX- tending lengthwise of the barrel and frictionallypositioning the fitting firmly on the barrel, a pair of gripping arms,and means for pivotally mounting said arms on said fitting so that theymay swing to a position of rest at a right angle to the barrel wherebythe arms may be swung to grip the plunger while in the barrel and swungto a different position to grip the plunger when out of the barrelwithout displacing the fitting from its proper position on the barrel.A

7. A clip for syringes, comprising a fitting provided with resilientgripping fingers to frictionally position the fitting firmly on thebarrel of the syringe, apair of. resilient arms connected together atone point and provided with an extension at said point, and means forpivotally connecting said eXtension to said fitting so as to enable theresilient arms to be swung to a position of rest in a plane at rightangles to the barrel, said arms being adapted to grip the plunger andhold the same in different adjusted positions in the barrel and to gripthe plunger when ally seated on the barrel, a pair. o f gripping arms, aplurality of spaced projecting elements associated with said grippingarms and adapted to establish contact with the surface of the plunger',and means for pivotally mounting said arms on said fitting so that theymay swing to a position of rest at a right angle to the barrel wherebythe arms may be swung to grip the plunger while in the barrel and swungto a different position to grip the plunger when out of the barrelwithout displacing the fitting from its proper position on the barrel.

9. A clip 'for syringes comprising a pair of resilient arms connectedtogether at one point and provided with a bent integral extension atsaid point, said bent extension comprising a portion substantiallyparallel to the axis of the syringe and a portion extending in thegeneral direction of the free end of the resilient arms, and means forpivotally connecting said latter portion to the barrel of' the syringeso as to swing in a plane at right angles to the said barrel, said armsbeing adapted to grip the plunger and to hold the same with a gentlefrictional pressure in different adjusted positions.

l0. clip for syringes comprising a pair of resilient arms, a pluralityof spaced projecting elements associated with said arms 'and adapted toestablish contact with the surface of the plunger, said arms beingconnected together at one point and provided with a bent integralextension at said point, said bent extension comprising a portionsubstantially parallel to the axis of the syringe and a portionextending in the general direction of the free end'of the resilient armsand means for pivotally connecting said latter portion to the barrel lofthe syringe so as to swing in a plane at right angles to the saidbarrel, said arms being adapted to grip the plunger between the abovenamed projections and thereby to hold the plunger with a gentlefrictional pressure in difierent adjusted positions.

ALEXANDER MARSCHALEK.

